Significant recovery work in Natural Temperate Grassland has already been undertaken in the region, primarily by Environment ACT, the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation (formerly NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service), WWF Australia and the CMAs. Other government and non-government agencies, universities, individual landholders and community groups (in particular, Friends of Grasslands) have also made important contributions. Organisations are continuing this work in line with long-term goals and as part of their national and state or territory responsibilities. Considerable funding assistance has been received through several Australian Government programs administered by the Department of Environment and Heritage (previously Environment Australia Australian Nature Conservation Agency and Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service). The National Recovery Plan for NTG-ST builds upon these achievements to date.
5.1 Information Base
An adequate information base requires data on the location and ecological condition of remnant sites, what they contain and issues that need to be addressed.
Actions undertaken to date include:
• locating and mapping sites, and undertaking vegetation surveys in the ACT and NSW;
• identifying sites by floristic associations for NTG–ST in the Monaro sub-region and the ACT;
• undertaking biological surveys within grassy ecosystems, focusing on threatened flora and fauna;
• mapping the extent of pre-1750 and extant NTG–ST in most of the Southern Tablelands using remote-sensing technology;
• developing a preliminary regional database that includes information on the location and condition of all surveyed grassland sites in the Southern Tablelands; and
• incorporating all grassland dependant threatened species and the NTG-ST endangered ecological community into the PVP Decision support tools (NSW).
New actions required include:
• further surveys of the community throughout the region, particularly on private land in the North-western and Eastern sub-regions;
• further development of existing databases to allow for the investigation of species distribution and abundance across jurisdictions;
• analysis of the data to identify floristic associations to ensure regional and sub- regional identification of all structural and compositional variation;
• assessment of survey results to clarify which sites warrant protection or recovery actions;
• mapping/remapping parts of the Southern Tablelands region using remote sensing techniques.
5.2 Conserving Component Species
Conservation of NTG–ST remnants will protect a wide range of native plants and
animals. NTG–ST contains several listed threatened flora and fauna species (Table 1) and many species that are regionally rare. Whilst measures to protect NTG–ST will also protect such species, some of these species occur in other ecological communities and highly modified sites. In these instances, while the threatened species has statutory protection under the listing of NTG–ST, part of its habitat may not. Special consideration may need to be given to the means of conserving some NTG–ST species throughout their range in both NTG–ST and other habitats.
Actions undertaken to date include:
• surveying ACT and NSW for threatened species in native grassland sites (not confined to NTG–ST sites as defined in this Recovery Plan);
• surveying groups of grassland species including reptiles, invertebrates and frogs; • undertaking ecological studies of grassland species;
• preparing Recovery Plans (National, NSW) and Action Plans (ACT) for several threatened grassland species; and
• preparing management plans for NTG–ST sites that include actions to retain habitat for threatened species.
New actions required include:
• continuing surveys for plant and animal species characteristic of grassland;
• developing understanding of the ecology of species, through research and monitoring, to determine their conservation and management requirements; and
• integrating ecological information into management activities at sites where threatened species occur, or where known habitat exists.
5.3 Protection of Grasslands
The protection achieved to date has taken into account priorities based on conservation significance and how best the areas can be managed given that a variety of land uses will continue on, or adjacent to, many sites. Protection mechanisms have included the
establishment of reserves, and other actions where reservation is not an option. Actions undertaken to date include:
• establishment of five reserves (488 ha containing 206 ha of NTG) in the ACT
(Mulanggari, Gungaderra and Crace Nature Reserves (Gungahlin), Dunlop Grassland Reserve and Mugga Mugga Special Purpose Reserve). A new reserve (106 ha) is proposed at Lawson (Belconnen). The ACT Government announced in July 2004 that 400 ha of Natural Temperate Grassland and other grassy habitat for threatened
species (Grassland Earless Dragon) in the Jerrabomberra Valley would be protected in nature reserves;
• establishment and/or identification of seven major sites in NSW (Turallo Nature Reserve, Kuma Nature Reserve, an area within South East Forests National Park, Deua National Park, Queanbeyan Nature Reserves (with the addition of Letchworth, Old Cooma Common Grassland Reserve and Days Hill Reserve), and 21 minor sites, totalling in excess of 360 ha in nature reserves or crown reserves dedicated to
conservation. A further 100 ha of NTG–ST of high conservation significance is proposed to be added to the reserved area.
• formal assessment and re-classification of 54 ha of Crown land on Adaminaby Golf Course for recreation and nature conservation and establishment of a community based Management Trust; and
• implementation of a range of conservation agreements (including MOUs and JMAs) (see Section 4).
New actions required include:
• identification of gaps (geographically and ecologically) in the reserve and off-reserve protection system;
• identification of key sites for conservation and protection; and
• creation of new reserves and implementation of new conservation agreements aimed at establishing a comprehensive, adequate and representative network of protected sites across the entire range of NTG–ST.
5.4 Applying ‘Best Practice’ Management
Whatever level of protection is provided for individual sites, the key factor for their long- term conservation is the implementation of management practices that will maintain and, ideally, enhance the existing conservation values. The application of ‘best practice’ management is critical for the preservation of these ecosystems and threatened species (Sharp 2000). The management approaches adopted may be site-dependent. Sites with different disturbance and land use histories, for instance, may require different
management regimes.
Research and monitoring programs are the key source of information required to
implement ‘best practice’ management and to keep this current. Both agricultural studies (e.g. on the use of native pastures for grazing) and ecological studies are relevant. Additionally, studies of the history of particular sites and the dynamics of species within those sites have provided important information for future management.
Actions undertaken to date include:
• long-term monitoring of vegetation and threatened species in sites containing NTG– ST in the ACT and NSW to measure the impacts of management. In the ACT, 18 sites have been monitored annually or bi-annually since 1993. In NSW two long-term monitoring sites have been established, and other sites are being monitored;
• investigating the impacts of burning on sites in the ACT which have not been burnt for a long time;
• preparing management guidelines to assist landholders in applying conservation management (Dorrough 1996, Eddy 2002, Langford et al. 2004);
• implementing best practice management for conservation outcomes on many sites in the ACT and NSW; and
• preparing a conservation management kit for grassland sites to assist landholders (Sharp et al., 2005). The kit will include guidelines for assessing values of sites and for developing a management and monitoring program.
New actions required include
• use information from surveys and analysis of data to further develop management guidelines;
• develop and implement site specific management plans;
• monitor condition and species diversity of sites under varying management regimes and refine management guidelines based on the results of this monitoring and ongoing research programs;
• promote research and trials into the effects of management on biodiversity; and • identify sites that should be targeted for an enhancement program and undertake
suitable restoration activities.
5.5
Involving Landholders and the Community in the Conservation
of Natural Temperate Grassland
Community groups and private landholders are becoming more actively involved in the conservation of NTG–ST and are seeking information on the subject. It is proposed to build upon the base of community support and involvement that has been established, in particular, through application of the Conservation Management Network model. Actions undertaken to date include:
• providing advice to, and interacting with, private and public landholders and land managers;
• establishing a Friends of Grasslands (FOG) community group which now operates throughout the region;
• organising extension activities including site visits, field days, workshops, seminars, conferences and providing assistance and advice to community groups and land managers in preparing funding applications;
• liaising with officers in other regions and States in relation to grassy ecosystem conservation issues;
• preparing a field guide to grassland flora of the Southern Tablelands (Eddy et al. 1998). Over 5000 copies of this publication have been distributed and sold in the region and throughout Australia; and
• establishing the Monaro Grassland Conservation Management Network (CMN) and the Southern Tablelands Grassy Ecosystem CMN, which provide database support, newsletters, extension activities and assistance with funding and management planning.
New actions required include:
• extending the CMNs across the entire Southern Tablelands as a key means of communication and involvement in NTG–ST conservation;
• developing a communication strategy based on the CMNs but including the wider community; and
• facilitating access to financial and other incentives for NTG–ST conservation and links with other programs and activities, especially with the Catchment Management Authorities.
5.6
Applying Effective Planning for Natural Temperate Grassland
Conservation in a Regional Context
Land uses and development activities that may impact on NTG–ST sites need to be considered as part of government policy and planning processes.
Actions undertaken to date include:
• providing information for policy, planning and management decisions made by catchment management boards;
• alerting Government agencies to the location and significance of NTG–ST sites to prevent uninformed clearing and/or modification;
• identifying significant NTG–ST for inclusion in the reserve system;
• developing a planning framework for conservation of natural ecosystems (including NTG–ST) for the Southern Tablelands through a cooperative program involving Australian Government, NSW, ACT and local government and non-government agencies and the community (Fallding 2002); and
• preparing the ACT Lowland Native Grassland Conservation Strategy (2005). New actions required include:
• extending the planning framework for conservation of NTG-ST throughout the remaining sections of the Southern Tablelands beyond that covered by Fallding (2002);
• liaison with the CMAs to ensure that the new initiatives for property vegetation planning and incentive programs consider NTG-ST conservation;
• liaison with organisations and participation in regional planning processes to ensure that conservation of NTG–ST is incorporated appropriately into planning,
management and development control in the region;
• preparation of a guide for decision-makers, based on conservation requirements and not requiring specialist knowledge, which will enable initial assessment of proposals potentially affecting NTG–ST; and
• review and evaluation of the legislative and regional environmental planning framework relevant to NTG–ST conservation.